Rep. Foster hears health care concerns during round table discussion

BATAVIA – As executive director of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, Roger Breisch hears the concerns of small business owners.

And one of their biggest concerns is the rising cost of insurance.

“The insurance costs have just gone up so dramatically they can’t afford it even in good times,” Breisch said.

Breisch was among those Wednesday who took part in a round table discussion about health care led by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Batavia. The discussion took place at his district office in Batavia.

As Congress takes on President Obama’s call for overhauling health care, Foster on Wednesday held a health care round table with a cross section of people who would be affected by health care legislation, including hospital administration officials, doctors, and constituents.

“Health care is often at the core of a family’s economic troubles,” Foster said. “I see that over and over again.”

The United States is the only developed country without universal health care.

“You have to have a serious discussion about the basic level of health care that will be provided,” Foster  said.

Jim Witt, president and CEO of Provena Medical Center in Aurora, wants to make sure any proposed legislation would meet the needs of their patients.

“We want to make sure we have coverage of everyone at a cost they can afford,” Witt said.

Others involved in the discussion said tort reform has to be part of any health care legislation.

Foster admitted there are many tricky issues to address, such as determining the amount of health care that should be spent on a person near the end of their life.

“It is easy [to answer] if it is not your grandmother,” Foster said.

He said the issue of consumers taking responsibility for their own health also has to be addressed.

“Half of what we spend on health care is for behavior that could be classified as voluntary,” Foster said.

Foster said he is confident health care legislation will be approved this year.

“There is a lot of legislative momentum with the Obama administration,” he said.